Vande Mataram Bill Introduced in Rajya Sabha to Criminalise Insults to the National Song

21 July 2026National

Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha on 20 July 2026, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. What it does: The Bill amends the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which currently criminalises acts of disrespect towards the National Flag, the Constitution of India and the National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana). The 2026 amendment extends the same statutory protection to the National Song, 'Vande Mataram'. Penalty: Under the existing Act, intentionally preventing the singing of the National Anthem or causing a disturbance to an assembly engaged in singing it is punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine, or both. The amendment makes the same penalties applicable to anyone who intentionally prevents or disturbs the singing of Vande Mataram. Significance: The Bill is introduced in the 150th anniversary year of the composition of Vande Mataram by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1876.

Static GK

Vande Mataram composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1876; published in his novel Anandamath (1882) | First sung at the 1896 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress by Rabindranath Tagore | Adopted as National Song on 24 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly, given equal status with the National Anthem | National Anthem Jana Gana Mana written by Rabindranath Tagore, adopted 24 January 1950; playing time 52 seconds

⚡ Quick Revision

Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha on 20 July 2026, extending the 1971 Act's protection to the National Song 'Vande Mataram', with a penalty of up to 3 years' imprisonment. • Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1876 and adopted as the National Song on 24 January 1950.

ShareWhatsApp Telegram

More Polity Current Affairs

Ministry of Cooperation Notifies MSCARO 2026, a Risk-Based Audit Reporting Order for Multi-State Cooperatives

The Ministry of Cooperation has issued the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Auditor's Report) Order, 2026 (MSCARO 2026), a standardised, risk-based audit-reporting framework for multi-state cooperative societies, under Section 73(6) of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023. It extends to cooperatives the company-audit discipline of CARO, requiring auditors to report in a uniform format on fixed assets, loans, statutory dues and internal controls. Phase 1 applies to societies with over Rs 1,000 crore in relevant financial parameters, with later phases covering those above Rs 50 crore. The Ministry of Cooperation was carved out in July 2021 under Amit Shah.

GK ByteThe Ministry of Cooperation was carved out of the Ministry of Agriculture in July 2021 with the motto 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' | Cooperative societies are a State subject under Entry 32 of the State List, while multi-state cooperative societies fall under Entry 44 of the Union List | The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 inserted Article 43B and Part IXB dealing with cooperative societies

📅 17 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

Sankoo Notified as the Eighth District of Union Territory Ladakh

The Ladakh administration has notified Sankoo as the Union Territory's eighth district, carved out of Kargil district. Notification S.O. 284, issued by the Revenue Department on 16 October 2026, places the tehsils of Sankoo, GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru in the new district. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the decision after clearance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Sankoo lies in the Suru Valley, about 42 km south of Kargil town at roughly 3,150 m, known for its apricot orchards. It follows the five districts - Changthang, Drass, Nubra, Sham and Zanskar - created in April 2026.

GK ByteLadakh became a Union Territory without a legislature on 31 October 2019 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, with only Leh and Kargil as districts | Five new districts - Changthang, Drass, Nubra, Sham and Zanskar - were created in April 2026, before Sankoo became the eighth | Ladakh is administered by a Lieutenant Governor appointed by the President under Article 239 of the Constitution

📅 16 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

Cabinet Approves a 78-Day Productivity Linked Bonus for 11.4 Lakh Railway Employees

The Union Cabinet approved on 14 October a Productivity Linked Bonus equal to 78 days' wages for non-gazetted Indian Railways employees, entailing an outlay of Rs 2,009.61 crore for 11,40,770 staff. The maximum payable per employee is Rs 17,951, calculated on a monthly wage ceiling of Rs 7,000; gazetted officers are excluded. The bonus is released every year before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays. The quantum matches the 78 days cleared in September 2025, but the outlay is higher than that year's Rs 1,865.68 crore because the covered workforce rose from 10,91,146, while the per-employee cap stays unchanged.

GK ByteThe Productivity Linked Bonus was introduced in the Indian Railways in 1979-80 and is paid in lieu of the statutory bonus under the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, which does not cover railway employees | The newest Indian Railways zone is the South Coast Railway, with headquarters at Visakhapatnam | The separate Railway Budget, presented annually since 1924, was merged with the Union Budget from 2017-18

📅 14 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

President Droupadi Murmu Appoints Governors to Six States

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Governors to six states - four fresh appointments and two transfers - with each taking effect when the appointee assumes charge. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar moves to Tamil Nadu as full-time Governor and Om Prakash Mathur to Keralam. Braj Mohan Ram, a senior leader from Jharkhand, goes to Odisha, succeeding Hari Babu Kambhampati; Sudha Yadav, former MP from Mahendragarh, becomes Karnataka Governor in place of Thaawarchand Gehlot; Dhal Singh Bisen, a former Balaghat MP, takes Uttarakhand from Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh; and Dushyant Gautam becomes Sikkim Governor, the post Mathur vacates.

GK ByteGovernors are appointed by the President under Article 155 and hold office during the President's pleasure under Article 156, normally for a five-year term | Article 157 requires a Governor to be a citizen of India who has completed 35 years of age | The Governor is the constitutional head of the state executive and forms part of the state legislature under Article 168

📅 13 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

See all Polity →All Current Affairs